Stripped Pajamas
by Yay for Yaoi
Summary: It's just a stitch-punk Christmas. Nothing more and Nothing less. 5X6 Contains Shonen-Ai, Apparently.


**Author's Note/Disclaimer: Stich-Punk Math...it's the best kind of multiplication there is. XD I've been way into 9 lately and I've met some friends who like it too! :3 So here's a one shot for a rping friend of mine, especially for x-mas. Hope you enjoy it!**

**I do not own any of the characters in this story, Shane Acker does. :3 Thank you for creating them!**

**P.S. This story is AU. No Stichie deaths. :3**

**XXX**

**Stripped Pajamas**

It had been over two years since all of the stitch-punks had finally gathered. With 9, their little family had finally come together. It was around this time that the little figures experienced weather changes. They didn't just have dust storms anymore, but they had water falling from the skies as well. It was identified as rain by 3 and 4 and with the rain came new things.

Nature had begun to grow with the coming of rain. Small patches of green came from the ground and other things began to grow. These had also been identified as grass and flowers. This items exhilarated the group as they discovered it was better to have a green earth.

Then things became cold and rain no longer fell from the sky. Wind chilled the crew to their gears before one day, they awoke to find white balls of fluff falling from the sky. This balls of fluff were called snow flakes and when they came together, they blanketed the land with snow. At first, they had panicked before discovering that it was all part of a cycle that the planet went through.

As 3 and 4 had looked for examples of snow in their books, they had also come across a book of human cultures and discovered different holidays that humans celebrated. It seemed that one holiday was the most anticipated of the humans though.

Christmas.

They couldn't figure out why humans celebrated it, but they showed the entry to 2 in hopes that something would come from it. The elder loved the idea of the holiday and here they were two years later, still celebrating it.

The first year had been a bit difficult to get together, as most of them were confused about the concept of the holiday but this year all seemed to be going well.

8, the strongest of the stitch-punks and 9 had gone out and found a branch to use as a Christmas tree. Meanwhile, 3 and 4 decorated the branch with beads and as a finishing touch, 2 and 5 had made a star to put on top. After that had been finished, the rush for presents had begun.

From his drawing room, 6 watched everyone with curiosity. The first presents to be put under the tree were from 2 and from what 6 could count, he figured that 2 had gotten a present for everyone. A few days later, 3 and 4 placed seven gifts under the tree. They seemed eager to unwrap the presents themselves, but they simply let the presents be.

9 had tried to be sneaky as he placed his own presents under the tree, waiting until everyone had fallen asleep. However, he had tripped over a pawn and woken the artist up. He quickly apologized, deposited seven presents under the tree and ran off. 9 had to return the next day though, as he carried presents behind a glowing 7. From how bright she was, she was obviously very close to having her baby. She didn't look too happy, but 2 had explained to all of them once that being pregnant was a very sensitive time and they all needed to be respectful of the expecting mother. 7 gestured for 9 to put the six presents he had down and he did as he was told. 6 watched curiously as the two exchanged a few words and then kissed before leaving.

Surprisingly, 6 watched as 1 had 8 put nine presents under the tree. The previous year, 1 could care less about this little holiday that the others so enjoyed. Now the eldest had begun to grow kinder towards everyone, especially 7. It was quite the change, but it was also a welcome change. 6 figured that the ninth present was from 8, who still didn't really like them. He guessed that the present was for 1 and that was the only present he was getting.

Everyone had put a present under the tree, or at least that's what 6 thought before he noticed 5. 5 didn't go to the tree with any wrapped presents that had the potential to be unwrapped. Instead, the one-eyed stitch-punk stood back from the tree and stared at it with contemplation. 6 watched as he stood there for a good few minutes before he left the throne room, his shoulders just a bit sunken.

6 waited for 5 to return, but he didn't.

Finally, Christmas Evening arrived and all of the stitch-punks gathered around the tree. 6 had already distributed most of his gifts to the others before the gathered, but frowned when the person who was to receive his last present wasn't there. No one really seemed to notice that they were one person short and had begun the festivities.

9 had his arms wrapped around 7's waist as he rested his jaw on her shoulder. They were talk to 2 and 6 could only imagine that it was about the baby. 3 and 4 ran around 8 in an excited manner, trying to avoid the large guard as he played catch with them and 1 watched on quietly. 6 had been standing near the tree, observing all of this before he then moved to 2. His pen-tipped index finger tapped the elder on his shoulder, drawing his attention from the young couple and his unsymmetrical optics glanced off to the side a bit awkwardly.

"5?" 6 asked barely above a whisper. 2 considered the question that 6 was trying to ask before he gave a sad smile.

"He's in the watchtower." The inventor said, making 9 blink and lift his head from 7's shoulder.

"Why is he up there?" 9 asked with a bit of concern for his best friend.

"We still need to be cautious of the beasts that remain, so he volunteered to be on guard duty tonight so that 8 could be here." 2 then looked to the strongest stitch-punk and sighed.

"Didn't he do this last year too?" 7 asked, arching a brow. She honestly didn't look happy about the fact that 5 was up in the tower instead of with them.

2 nodded, turning back to the couple.

"He becomes strange around this time of year. I've yet to figure out what's wrong with him, but it's best to leave him alone."

6 listened as the conversation then changed from 5 to something else. 6 then decided to do something that he had never done, he went up to the watchtower.

It was a small room, barely enough room for two people to move around in without bumping shoulders. The telescope was the most entertaining thing in the watchtower, and right next to it sat 5. From what 6 could tell by watching the older stitch-punk, he was shivering from the heavy wind and snow, but was in too deep of thought to even notice that 6 had come up.

6 walked up behind 5 and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, nuzzling his face into the back of the other's head.

"Cold?" 6 muttered in questioning, his optics closed.

"Just a little." 5 muttered, gripping the artist's hands softly.

"Why aren't you downstairs?" The older stitch-punk asked in a far off voice, as if he were only talking to the wind.

"6 wants to be near 5." 6 replied before he released the other and walked in front of him, snapping 5 out of his trance like state. 5's one optic glanced up to the artist before he glanced down.

"I'm on guard duty right now." 5 stated then, allowing his hands to fold in his lap.

6 just nodded at the other's statement before he gave a shy smile. 5 noticed this smile and blinked his optic a bit curiously.

"Is something wrong?"

6 shook his head before he suddenly walked to the lift and walked back to the healer. Without a word, the artist unfolded a piece of cloth and wrapped it snug around the other's neck.

5 blinked as he examined the cloth. It was white with faded blue strips, just like the material that 6 was made of. It was more comfortable then burlap however and 5 could already feel himself becoming warmer.

"What's this?"

"2 showed 6 how to make it. I-It's um a scarf. 6 made it for 5 since he's always so cold when he goes to bed." 6 answered before he leaned forward rather quickly and kissed the older stitch-punk's patch, then waddling back to the lift and leaving before 5 could stop him.

The healer looked over the scarf carefully before he smiled and closed his optic. He was still feeling a bit lonely as he remembered the time that the scientist had created him and been so kind, but he had 6 and just that thought made him forget about the cold that bit at his burlap.

**XXX**

6 woke up the way that he had gone to sleep, alone. The warmth that lingered next to him however suggested that he hadn't been alone for very long. A glimmering caught 6's attention as he sat up and his optics blinked as they focused on the object that sat on the healer's makeshift desk. The artist felt just as energetic as 3 and 4 looked as he then made the small distance from the bed to the desk.

On the desk was a small heart shaped charm which probably once belonged to a bracelet. It was alone now however and sparkled at the artist. Carefully 6 picked it up, trying to avoid getting ink from his pen tipped fingers on it, and he examined it. It was simple in design, but when he looked at the back he could see something carved there.

_'Dear 6,_

_I love you._

_From 5.'_

6 hummed quite happily as he attached the charm to his key and trotted off.

3 and 4 learned something new about 6 that day as they tried to catalog the new item on the artist's neck.

6 has quite a temper.

**Author's Note: I know there's typos and such, I'm just too tired and lazy to change them. XD**


End file.
